We could still have a hot and dry spell across the western US, Santa Ana winds, or local conditions that push a fire, but I think we can comfortably say the 2026 fire year is winding down in intensity.

Now, about that El Nino and the 2027 fire year... better get rest and start preparing now. 2/2

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That helps you avoid unnecessary work and gets them in a better place to understand the reality of the incident and assist you in making decisions.

So, anytime you hear the P word, pay attention. It's just a matter of timely and honest communication. 14/

Engage them in conversation. Talk slower and softer than usual. Display competence and confidence. Explain your process and how you are making decisions. Discuss what you are doing and what the plan is. Get them to focus on you instead of the emotion of the incident. 13/

Their panic often manifests as a directive to go quell the public panic, because if they are feeling panic, then surely everyone else is too, right? When you hear the "panic" word coming from one of these folks, that's a watchout situation that demands immediate attention. 12/

They have no clue about what to do in a crisis and they know they will be judged on their performance. That's not a swipe--it's just that many have no experience with disasters. 11/

That's how you work through a disaster and communicate as a someone who cares about the public.

I have, however, seen a kind of panic on the incidents I've worked. It almost always comes form elected officials and agency administrations running headlong into the imposter syndrome. 10/

Sharing dilemmas, explaining not just the "what" of decisions but the "why" behind them, showing how you make those decisions, not being afraid to discuss future actions & hypotheticals--those "what if" questions (all risk communication is hypothetical). 9/

You can't give false assurances because at some level people understand the situation is complex and inevitably, when your simplicities are revealed to be complexities, you lose credibility/trust and most importantly, you lose the ability to ask the public for action. 8/

Understanding "panic" is a key for crisis communicators. The best way to deal with the stress and uncertainty of a disaster is through good, frequent, honest communication. 7/

When people were out of danger, they helped others as they walked home across bridges in an orderly way.

Even people who freeze are not panicking. They are frozen with uncertainty and stress and it may take them time to sort out what is happening, what this departure from the norm means. 6/

Think back to 9/11. People were running and stumbling down streets. It looked like panic, but it wasn't. They were running from collapsing buildings and rapidly moving toxic dust clouds. Self preservation. It was a perfectly rational response. 5/

Packing up & leaving under those circumstances is not panic. That's acting rationally based on what you think reality is. When a firefighter comes by & explains the situation, it changes the view of reality & "panic" subsides. "Panic" is often a failure of authorities to deliver good information. 4/

With wildfires, it is not unusual for people to be packing up to evacuate when the fire is miles away and no threat--but the smoke column looks big, you can see the orange glow at night, and it seems to be getting closer to you, your family, and your neighborhood. 3/

The classic example is "War of the Worlds." If you turned the radio on midway through the broadcast and heard news reporters talking about Martians invading Earth, you might act differently than if you listened from the beginning and knew it was a production. 2/

Related, without the amazing assistance from FDNY, the aftermath of the Granite Mountain tragedy and the large memorial service would have been near impossible for wildland folks to get through on our own. FDNY stood up for us in a big way.